Kovlaev-Agnew: HBO production values, empty arena & other miscellaneous observations

[BennyBlanco]

1. HBO production values seem to be going downhill fast. I'm not really talking about the static/transmission problems in last night's fight - though I can't remember the last time I've seen either WCB or Showtime Champ. Boxing have issues like that. It's more that it looks like HBO is cutting corners in other areas. Anyone notice that the personal profile features now look like ESPN's? Just a camera, a guy sitting on a chair and a backdrop - no more going on location to a boxer's gym or neighborhood to find out more about him. Fights were shot like an ESPN fight too - very close in, no wide shots, no atmosphere...but of course that may have a lot to do with #2:

2. Kovalev has a long way to go it terms of star power and selling tickets. Kovalev-Agnew arena looked half-full. For all the talk about HBO building stars, it seems clear that Kovalev isn't one yet. Capacity in that ballroom is about 3,000, and it looked like it was half-full (which helps explain why the fight was shot with such tight camera angles). Selling less than 2,000 seats definitely shows that Kovalev isn't a star yet.

3. Other random thoughts.

• I have no desire to see either Mayfield or Dulorme anytime soon.
• Except for the replay of the Pac PPV, HBO has no boxing on air for the next seven weeks. Where is all their money being spent?
• I will be very surprised if Chavez-GGG gets made for July.

[Hougigo]

I really thought Agnew was going to bring in the crowds.
The super exciting Dulorme/Mayfield should've brought in millions after the nipple lick

[Rage of Wodan]

1. HBO production values seem to be going downhill fast. I'm not really talking about the static/transmission problems in last night's fight - though I can't remember the last time I've seen either WCB or Showtime Champ. Boxing have issues like that. It's more that it looks like HBO is cutting corners in other areas. Anyone notice that the personal profile features now look like ESPN's? Just a camera, a guy sitting on a chair and a backdrop - no more going on location to a boxer's gym or neighborhood to find out more about him. Fights were shot like an ESPN fight too - very close in, no wide shots, no atmosphere...but of course that may have a lot to do with #2:

2. Kovalev has a long way to go it terms of star power and selling tickets. Kovalev-Agnew arena looked half-full. For all the talk about HBO building stars, it seems clear that Kovalev isn't one yet. Capacity in that ballroom is about 3,000, and it looked like it was half-full (which helps explain why the fight was shot with such tight camera angles). Selling less than 2,000 seats definitely shows that Kovalev isn't a star yet.

3. Other random thoughts.

• I have no desire to see either Mayfield or Dulorme anytime soon.
• Except for the replay of the Pac PPV, HBO has no boxing on air for the next seven weeks. Where is all their money being spent?
• I will be very surprised if Chavez-GGG gets made for July.

I was going to go to the fight ... but I had to work and couldn't get out of it.

[ИATAS]

1. It was announced there was a violent storm at the venue thus causing the video/audio feed issues.

2. It's all about ratings not the venue. Kovalevs last fight peaked around 1.25 million viewers during his fight or something right around there, which was higher than Andre Ward vs Rodriguez for example. So if the HBO ratings are solid that's what matters most.

[-MAKAVELLI-]

my observation;


i think it was interesting to see Agnew's mom just smiling away while her son was getting his ass kicked

i also didn't know whether Agnew's dad was a pastor or a member of Run DMC

[BennyBlanco]

1. It was announced there was a violent storm at the venue thus causing the video/audio feed issues.

2. It's all about ratings not the venue. Kovalevs last fight peaked around 1.25 million viewers during his fight or something right around there, which was higher than Andre Ward vs Rodriguez for example. So if the HBO ratings are solid that's what matters most.

WRONG.

Kovalev was on the undercard. His fight did about 400,000 viewers. Stevenson's main event bout did 1.3 million.

[Hougigo]

1. It was announced there was a violent storm at the venue thus causing the video/audio feed issues.

2. It's all about ratings not the venue. Kovalevs last fight peaked around 1.25 million viewers during his fight or something right around there, which was higher than Andre Ward vs Rodriguez for example. So if the HBO ratings are solid that's what matters most.

His Cleverly ratings weren't that high, the he go those higher ratings on the Stevenson card.

This is going to his first as a headliner on HBO on american soil and I'd be surprised if it's over a million

[BennyBlanco]

1. It was announced there was a violent storm at the venue thus causing the video/audio feed issues.

Violent storm my butt...

Here's your violent storm...also known as "light rain," according to the weather service:

http://www.weather.com/weather/yesterday/hourly/Atlantic+City+NJ+USNJ0015:1:US

[Da Machine]

HBO is turning into ****, and now they aren't even willing to overpay unless it's a complete in house commentator like Ward.

[Beercules]

my observation;


i think it was interesting to see Agnew's mom just smiling away while her son was getting his ass kicked

i also didn't know whether Agnew's dad was a pastor or a member of Run DMC

she was smiling. I found that weird

15 kids doe